Kenya has stopped work on a US-backed Ebola quarantine facility after a court found the health minister in contempt.
Kenya’s Health Cabinet Secretary, Aden Duale, has ordered the immediate suspension of construction at the US-backed Ebola quarantine facility located at Laikipia Air Base.
The move comes after the High Court in Nairobi found Duale in contempt for allowing construction activities to continue despite an existing court order halting the project. Appearing before the court, Duale said he had directed the complete cessation of all construction, site preparation, and related activities at the facility.
He told the court that neither he nor the Ministry of Health intended to disregard the judiciary and emphasized his commitment to upholding constitutional and legal processes.
The court accepted Duale’s apology and discharged him with a warning, stating that further violations could result in sentencing. The injunction stopping construction will remain in place until the next hearing scheduled for July 23.
The project has faced legal challenges from Kenya’s Katiba Institute, which argues that the facility raises constitutional and governance concerns. The organization welcomed the court’s decision, describing it as a victory for the rule of law and democratic accountability.
Construction on the Ebola quarantine facility will remain suspended pending the court’s final decision.
